Post FA, Pre Draft 2017 expectations

[Cowboysrock55]

Capers got to us in the playoffs though. That uncharacteristic pick Dak threw was a sign of how he had us guessing. Expect more of that and additional wrinkles we didn't see last year.

It would be unwise to think DC's won't adjust to our offense with a whole offseason to figure out and practice strategies.

We must evolve or we'll definitely go backwards.

My main concern is injuries. Last year Leary stepped in when Collins went out-- that was huge. This year that depth is gone.

It was the same offense they have been seeing for 3 years now.

 

[Simpleton]

It was the same offense they have been seeing for 3 years now.

Yea, I mean from a play-calling standpoint this season was basically the exact same shit we saw with Romo in 2014 except with more bootleg action, which was prominent early in the year but went away a bit as the season went on.

There were a few small wrinkles like the jet sweeps with Whitehead in the first half of the year but by and large this was the same offense that we were running in 2014.

 

[ravidubey]

It was the same offense they have been seeing for 3 years now.

Exactly. And they wonder why they're one and done. They unleash the hounds vs Detroit and go back to the status quo afterwards.

If you don't change you go backwards in this league. See Dallas's 90's decline for example and by contrast how the Patriots have evolved over their 15 year run.

In fairness it's not easy to do, but it's necessary. True competitors will respond well to being challenged. So challenge them.

 

[Rev]

Beasley is only going to get better if you can imagine that. 19 wins because of that.

 

[dallen]

Until we break the streak I am always going to expect an awful year to follow a decent one. Romo may be gone, but this team is still full of guys who have rested on their laurels in the past.

 

[Cowboysrock55]

Until we break the streak I am always going to expect an awful year to follow a decent one. Romo may be gone, but this team is still full of guys who have rested on their laurels in the past.

Like which ones? We've changed over a ton of our roster over the last few years.

 

[dallen]

Like which ones? We've changed over a ton of our roster over the last few years.

TWill, Dez, Witten, Sean Lee, Scandrick, Crawford

 

[Cowboysrock55]

TWill, Dez, Witten, Sean Lee, Scandrick, Crawford

You think Witten rests on his laurels?

I'll give you Crawford, but that list of guys for the most part are not the ones I'd point to as the reason for our up and down seasons.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

I don't think it's the individual players so much. I think it's more that this team gets so much attention, any success and everyone in the world starts pumping them up all offseason as guaranteed world beaters.

Of course the owner doesn't help anything in these situations.

 

[Simpleton]

You think Witten rests on his laurels?

I'll give you Crawford, but that list of guys for the most part are not the ones I'd point to as the reason for our up and down seasons.

At the end of the day, these collapses that have happened following promising seasons (2008 following 2007, 2010 following 2009, and 2015 following 2014) have primarily been the result of injuries to Romo. He was knocked out for the season about 5-6 games into the 2010 season and we all know what happened in 2015. I also think a big part of 2008, as well as 2010, was Wade Phillips. Garrett isn't a great coach by any measure but I do think he holds the players much more accountable than Phillips ever did.

But aside from that it's a pretty ridiculous list.

Dez was not on the team in 2008 and was a rookie in 2010, you can't really blame him for anything there. Scandrick was injured in 2015, and Lee was a Pro Bowler that season after not playing in 2014.

Crawford seems justified, Williams maybe as well although I feel his role is small enough to where you can't really blame him for much.

If Prescott and the overall roster are relatively healthy and we go 4-12 or 5-11 then Garrett should be fired, although I'd truly be shocked if that were to happen.

 

[Simpleton]

I don't think it's the individual players so much. I think it's more that this team gets so much attention, any success and everyone in the world starts pumping them up all offseason as guaranteed world beaters.

Of course the owner doesn't help anything in these situations.

I agree with that although barring several severe injuries I can't see us going worse than 8-8.

 

[dallen]

You think Witten rests on his laurels?

I'll give you Crawford, but that list of guys for the most part are not the ones I'd point to as the reason for our up and down seasons.

Maybe not, but he's definitely been present for enough of them. They're all suspect until they prove me wrong

 

[Chocolate Lab]

I agree with that although barring several severe injuries I can't see us going worse than 8-8.

Oh, of course we shouldn't. If we had a decent coach we wouldn't.

 

[Cowboysrock55]

Maybe not, but he's definitely been present for enough of them. They're all suspect until they prove me wrong

Maybe but I'd say the Daks, Zeke's and Martin's probably carry more weight these days.

I really agree with Simp though. Most of the up and down stuff was a result of Romo. Romo either getting hurt or having a really bad start to a season. And hell for a while under Romo we were consistent from year to year, just consistently 8-8. I just don't see a reason why this team should yo yo this year.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

Yeah, but CR, did you see a reason why they'd decline in 2008 (although that year really wasn't so bad), 2010, and 2015?

In hindsight you may say yes, but at the time everyone was saying this same thing, that they should be really good again.

 

[Cowboysrock55]

Yeah, but CR, did you see a reason why they'd decline in 2008 (although that year really wasn't so bad), 2010, and 2015?

In hindsight you may say yes, but at the time everyone was saying this same thing, that they should be really good again.

In 2015, it was pretty simple. If Romo was healthy I thought we would be good again and if Romo wasn't healthy I thought we would suck. I stand by that still. If Romo hadn't gotten hurt in 2015 I seriously doubt we are a 4 win team. Hell the little Romo did play was in those wins that year.

In 2008 I didn't expect us to be 9-7. But again Romo got hurt that year and his numbers were all significantly down. And again in 2010 Romo missed most of the season.

So yeah, I guess if you can predict that Dak gets hurt next year I'll say we suck next year. But unlike Romo, I haven't seen injuries as a significant factor in Dak's career yet. It's not exactly some sort of a revaluation to say if your starting QB gets hurt your team is going to suck. We are a team built around the play of our QB. We have always been. So I'll concede that if Dak gets hurt we suck. Will you concede that if Dak stays healthy that all of this rollercoaster gibberish is a bunch of bullshit?

 

[Genghis Khan]

Maybe but I'd say the Daks, Zeke's and Martin's probably carry more weight these days.

I really agree with Simp though. Most of the up and down stuff was a result of Romo. Romo either getting hurt or having a really bad start to a season. And hell for a while under Romo we were consistent from year to year, just consistently 8-8. I just don't see a reason why this team should yo yo this year.

2015 was a lot to do with Romo being hurt.

2010 we were something like 1-6 under Romo. That was coaching and a piss poor offensive line. We magically played much better under Garrett.

2008 I don't remember what happened (TO declining maybe?) but I don't think Romo missed any significant time and he certainly didn't play poorly.

 

[Cowboysrock55]

2015 was a lot to do with Romo being hurt.

2010 we were something like 1-6 under Romo. That was coaching and a piss poor offensive line. We magically played much better under Garrett.

2008 I don't remember what happened (TO declining maybe?) but I don't think Romo missed any significant time and he certainly didn't play poorly.

Romo missed like 3 games in 2008. And we still went 9-7.

2010 Romo went 1-5. In that final loss, Romo got hurt against the Giants in the first half though, so it's hard to hang that loss on him. So yeah, we were like 1-4 to start that season, but I'm sure we would have turned things around to an extent had Romo been healthy. I certainly think we beat the Giants to be 2-4 at least.